Plating machine



July 12, 1960 D. J. BORODIN 2,944,953

PLATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. E I 04 W42 a. aalPafl/Al m 7 my 3 44 if, "NMKW,

July 12, 1960 D. J. BORODIN 2,944,953

PLATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO/PA/[KY 2,944,953 iLA'rn'v'oNiAcHnfih Daniel J. Borodin, Detioit, Mich, assign'or to Wagner lh'others, Ines, Detroit, -Mich.-, a corporation of Michlgan Filed Aug. 14, 1957 8; Ida-678,523

- ashram. {CL-10 F498) This invention relates to plating machines and more particularly 'toi'plat-ing' machines of the type wherein rack supported work pieces --are conveyed "automatically through a succession of :plating tanks, such as shown in my 'oopending applications Serial No. 596,712, filed July In a plating machineof the type disclosed in said pending applications, the Work pieces to be plated 'are arranged on racks. These racks are suspended from carriers that are slidably mounted on cathode rails extending along e'ach side of the tank st-ruotur'e of the machine. A carriage structure that reciprocates lengthwise of the tank' structure is provided withpusher arm's for sliding-the carriers-along the rails to successive'sta'tions within a tankiand with an elevating mechanism for lifting the carriers from the last stationofone "tank and depositing them inthe tank. V r i r In machines of this type, the anodes are usually supported Withinthe plating tanks as ;by suspending-them from anode bars that extend longitudinally of theplat'ing tanks. .In such an arrangement, the :platingcurrent is caused to flow from the cathode rails, through the carriers and the racks to the Work pieces and through the plating solution to the anodes. Some work pieces, because of their shape, are diflicult to plate with such an arrangement because the anodes are not desirably located with respect to some surfaces of the woik pieces. For example, work pieceshaving large concavities are difficnlt to arrange on the work racks so that all surfaces thereof are plated as desired. I l

H An object of the invention resides in the provision of an economical and efficient auxiliary anode sys tem for au omatic plating machines of the type described;

Another object of this invention is to provide a plating ma hine of "the automatic ty e 'which includes auxiliary anodes arranged on and mbv'able with the work racks for plating work pie which would be otherwise difnoun to plate andiin'cli' ding means for connectihg such auxiliary anodes through the work carrier to an anode Tail.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a work 'c'airier having 'a of contact members electrically connected tbgethei' and insulatively supported thereby and arran ed to camaci "one an auxiliary 'anode on the plating .fack arid the other with an auxiliary anode rail on the plating tank.

i-In'the drawings: i

Fig. '1 is a fnagmemnw sec'tiofi'alview of a plating machine embodying the prseiitlnvention. i

Fig. 2 is a "fragmentary sectional taken along the in Fig. parts brokeh "a" y. V

Fig. 3 is an end elevatioiial View broken awayfif "as-onion of t h'e apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the auxiliary hook on "the earrisr'inustratea "in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig; -5 is a hagmenta'ry'p bars andfail arrafi' emeatofuie plating rspecav ne the anode" first station of the next successive Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective new, 'urolren away, showing the mounting for the combined anode bar and Tail clamp' on the plating'tank.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic-perspective view of t hewo'rk rack.

In Fig. *1 'of the drawing, there is illustrated a -ment of a plating machine according to the present invention which includesa platingtank 10 along thesides of which are mounted anode bars '12 and cathode 1 4. Only "one anode bar 12 and one'czfthode rail 14 are illustrated in Fig. 1. Normally, the machine includes a pairof anode bars 12 and a-p'air'of cathode rails -I4, o1;1e along each side "of the tank. A 'pairof such anode bars azure illustrated in Fig. 5. Cathode rails 1 areins'ulaft-ively supported from the side'edges ofthe tank 10 many suitable manner. These cathode rails are arranged "to slidably support wardens-rs 16. In Fig. 1 of the rawings, only a portion of work "carrier 16 is illustrated. Carrier -16'includs a pair of castings 18 whiehare interfconnected by a transversely extending bar 20. Castings 18 are secured to the opposite ends of bar 20 by means of caps 22 and screws 24-. Each casting 18 includes a shoe 26 thatis slidabl-y arranged on the upper edge of thecathode rails '14.

Referring now to 'Fig. '2, it will he observed that at "the center of transverse ba'r 20,'thefe is secured a casting in theforrn of a yoke that is providedwith a pair of depending hook members 30. I Y' okejZS isse'cured to bai- 20 by means -of-a cap 32 and screws 34 provided with nuts -36. The hooks 3e are arranged to engage with the transverse =bar -38 at the upper end of a: work "rack 40 ;(Fig., 7;) to support the 'work' rack inthe plating tank. Rack 40 is provided with fastening members "42 fashioned ;as spring clips or the like for holding work pieces 34 to be plated. The work pieces 44 illustratedare each provided with a concave face 46. Nomi-ally, it would he difiicult to plate the concave face 46 solely by the pro- .v ision of -anodes 48 suspended from the anode bars 12 along each side of the machine. Thus, the rack '40 illustrated is provided with "an auxiliary anode 50. Mode '50 is insulatively inountedjon rack 40' and is electrically con nected by a strap 32 with a sleeve 54 fixed on transverse bar 38 intermediate the ends thereof. .Sleeve 54 is ele'c"- tricallyinsulated from bar 38 by an insulating sleeve 56 '(F g- 7' I.

lntermediate the hooks 30 on yoke 28, there is supported an auxiliary hook member 58. Hook 58 is supported from yoke 28 in the manner illustrated niost 'cl'early in Fig. 2. Yoke -28 -is fashioned with a cylindrical socket Q0. A screw 62 extends downwardly through soc-Retail and engages a threaded boss 64 at the upper end of hook 58. The portion of screw 62 extending through bore 60 is insulated from the yoke by an insulat= ingsleeve 66. The head of-screw 62 isretained within a plunger 68 which is also formed of an insulating ina= terial. Plunger 68 is slidably arranged insocket '60-. A compression spring 70 is arranged within the bore of socket 60 surrounding insulating sleeve 66. 'The up er eaasr spring 70 engages -the l ower face of plunger 68, and the Iow'erend of spring 70 is seated on the bottom wall 72 of so ks. 60. An insulating washer ,74 is arrangedhetween the bottomwall '72 of socket 60 'andthe boss 64 o f7hookinember 58. Thus; hook member 58 is efieetiyely ihs'ulate'd fronryoke zfi and at the same time is biased upwardly towards yoke 28 to a position whereinhoss 64 engages thebottom face of washer 74;

Referring now to Fig. 4, it will be noted thatlIO'Ok 58 :iauuaesa dished bottomportion 76 which is efsabs'tanti'al width for insuring adequate cross section to can ductthe current. The bottom .portion 76 and the boss64 of near member 58 are inte connectedby avertical leg disposed, ofiset lug 9i Lug 90 has a hole 92 extending downwardly therethrough, and thelowerr'ace of the lug is counterbored as at 94. A 'screw 96 extends downwardly through hole 92 with its lower end threaded in a bracket 98. Bracket 98 is fashioned with an upwardly extending cylindrical socket 100 through which screw 96 extends. An insulating. sleeve 102 surrounds screw 96 and extends between an insulating disc 104 on the underside of the head of screw 96 and the botom wall 106 of cylindrical socket 100. Within the counterbore 94, there is press fitted aninsulating bushing 108. A compression spring 110 is arranged between the lower end of bushing 108 and the bottom wall 106 of cylindrical socket'100. With this arrangement, it will be observed that bracket 98 is electrically insulated from cap 22 and is normally biased by spring 108 in a direction downwardly and away from cap 22. The casting 18 at the end of carrier 16, not shown in Fig. 1, is held on bar 20 by a plain cap similar to cap-22 but not necessarily provided with alug 90.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 5, the manner in which theyanode ,bars 12 are supported on the tank is illustrated. "At one side of the tank, the anode bar 12 is mounted on the 'fiange 112 atthe upper edge of the tank bya bracket-assembly 114. The means for supporting the other anode bar 12 on the tank are not illustrated.

Bracket assembly 114 includes a strap 116 formed-with a 1 semicylindrical boss 118 intermediate its ends. 'At one end, strap 116 is clamped to the flange 112 of the tank by means of a hold-down plate and a pair of screws 122 which extend downwardly through plate .120 and the flange 112 of the tank. An electrical conductor in the form of a'strap 124 overlies the outer end of strapl116. Insulating pads 126 are arranged one between the underface of hold-down plate 120 and the upper face of conduct'or strap 124 and the other between the lower face of strap116 and the upper face of tank flange 112. When the screws 128 are tightened, the strap 116 is rigidly supported on the flange 112; and at the same time, conductor strap .124 is electrically connected with strap 116.

The anode bar 12 is secured in the semi-cylindrical boss 118 on strap 116 by means of a cap 1311. Cap 130 is held in place'by screws 132 provided with nuts 134 at the lower end thereof. Under some conditions, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, anode bar 12 is insulated from strap 116 by means of an insulating sleeve 136.

ported work pieces are conveyed through a plating tank,

146 into good electrical contact with auxiliary anode rail 140.

When the work rack 40 is suspended on the two hook members 30 of the yoke 28- as illustrated, it will be observed that the hook member 58 automatically engages the underside of sleeve 54. As pointed out previously, spring 70 normally biases hook member 58 upwardly; When the transverse bar38 of rack 40 is engaged on the hook members 38, the underside of sleeve 54 is engaged by the dished bottom portion 76 of hook 58 and spring 70is thereby compressed to insure good electrical contact between hook member 58 and sleeve 54. Thus, ,when thecarrier 16 is arranged on the cathode rails 14 and the work rack 40 is suspended from the carrier 16 as illustrated, the auxiliary-anode 50 is electrically connected with the auxiliary anode rail 140.

If it is desired to apply a ditterent voltage to anodes 48 and 50, then the insulating sleeve 136 around the portions of thevanode bar 12 adjacent the auxiliary anode i'ail' 140 are'employed. Under such conditions, auxiliary conductor straps 150 are conected to the two anode bars 12. Then at the voltage'controlled current source designated 152, which may be a motor generator or rectifiers, the cathode rails would be connected by a conductor 154 with the negative terminal, the straps 150 would be connected to one positive terminal by conductors 156, 158

andthe strap 124 would be connected by a conductor 160 to the other positive terminaL'the positive terminals being at different controlled voltages. Thus, one voltage "plied to the auxiliary anodes 50 on the work racks.

The means for conveying the carriers 16 through successive stations in a plating tank and for lifting them from the last station of one tank and depositing them in the first station of the next tank do not form part of this invention. These means may take any desirable form, those shown in my above mentioned copending applications, for example, and are therefore not illustrated.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided an auxiliary anode system that is admirably adapted for the automatic typeplating machines. The arrangement of this invention enables the mounting of auxiliary anodes on the racks'thems'elves and also permits the application of different controlledvoltages to the two sets of anodes. It will also be appreciated that by forming the rack contacting member on the carrier as the hook 58 aligned with the hooks 30, the carriers are adapted for use with automatic loading apparatus.

I claim;

1. In a plating machine of the type wherein rack supthe racks being suspended from carriers which are slidably supported and in electrical contact with cathode rails and The inner end of strap 116 is fashioned as a U-shaped saddle portion 138 in which an auxiliary anode rail 140 is clamped by screws 142 and nuts 144. Auxiliary anode rail 141) extends lengthwise of tank 10 at one side thereof as shown in Fig. 5. Strap 116 is dimensioned in size and mounted on the tank so that when the carrier 16 is arranged on the cathode rails 14, auxiliary anode rail 140'is disposed directlybelow bracket 98. The bracket 98 is provided with a shoe 146 which slidably engages the upper face of auxiliary anode rail 140 and thus insures good electricalcontact between the auxiliary anode rail 140 and bracket98. The other ends of flexible conductor straps 84'are secured to bracket 98 as by screw 148. In the arrangement illustrated, it will be observed that when carrier 16 is arranged on'the cathode rails 14 as illustrated, shoe 146 automatically engages the upper face of auxiliary anode rail 140. Should there be any misalignment between cathode rail 14 and auxiliary anode rail 140, this is compensated for .by compression spring 110. This spring normally biases bracket 98 downwardly to a position such that when the carrier 16 is arranged on anode rails 14, spring 100 is compressed and urges shoe anodes are supported in the plating solution within the tank by means of anode bars extending along the tanks whereby electrical current is caused to flow from the cathode rails through the work carrier to the work pieces and through the solution to the anodes, the improvement which comprises an auxiliary anode carried by the work rack, means insulating the auxiliary anode from said work rack, a contact member on the carrier, means insulating the contactmember from said carrier, means responsive to the suspendingof' the work rack on the carrier to electrically connect the auxiliary anode with the contact member, an auxiliary anode rail within and extending lengthwise of the tank structure of the plating machine, a second contact member on the carrier and arranged to slidablycontact the auxiliary anode rail when the carrier is arranged on the cathoderails, means insulating said second contact member from the carrier and means electrically connecting said two contact members on the carrier. j I

2. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the rack includes a bar at the upper end thereof, and said with said bar to support the rack, said first mentioned means including a sleeve on said bar, means: electrically connecting said sleeve to said auxiliary anode, means insulating saidsleeve from said bar, ,and said first contact member on said carrier engaging said sleeve.

3. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein spring means are provided on the carrier for biasing, said last mentioned contact member into engagement with said sleeve.

4. In a plating machine of the type wherein rack supported work pieces are conveyed through a plating tank, the racks being suspended from carriers which are slidably supported and in electrical contact with cathode rails and anodes are supported in the plating solution Within the tank by means of anode bars extending along the tanks whereby electrical current is caused to flow from the cathode rails through the work carrier to the work pieces and through the solution to the anodes, the improvement which comprises an auxiliary anode carried by the work rack, means insulating the auxiliary anode from said work rack, a contact member movably mounted on the carrier, means insulating the contact member from said carrier, an electrical conducting member insulatively mounted on said rack and connected with said auxiliary anode, means responsive to suspending the work rack on the carrier to bias said contact member into electrical contact with said electrical conducting member, an auxiliary anode rail within and extending lengthwise of the tank structure of the plating machine, a shoe movably mounted on the carrier means insulating said shoe from the carrier, means biasing said shoe into contact with said auxiliary anode rail when the carrier is slidably arranged on the cathode rails and means electrically connecting said contact member with said shoe.

5. In a plating machine of the type wherein rack sup ported work pieces are conveyed through a plating tank, the racks being suspended from carriers which are slidably supported and in electrical contact with cathode rails and anodes are supported in the plating solution within the tank by means of anode bars extending along the tanks whereby electrical current is caused to flow from the cathode rails through the work carrier to the work pieces and through the solution to the anodes, the improvement which comprises an auxiliary anode carried by the work rack and insulated therefrom, said carrier having a pair of hook members thereon similarly disposed, a third hook member insulatively supported by the carrier and movably mounted thereon, said third hook member being generally aligned with said other two hook members and similarly disposed, means insulatively carried by the rack and connected with the anode engaged by said third hook member when the rack is supported by said other two hook members, an auxiliary anode rail within and extending lengthwise of the tank structure of the plating machine, a shoe on the carrier and arranged to slidably contact the auxiliary anode rail when the carrier is arranged on the cathode rails, means insulating said shoe from the carrier, and means electrically connecting said third hook member and said shoe.

6. A workcarrier for a plating machine comprising a support having a pair of spaced apart contact faces for slidably engaging cathode rails of the plating machine, a hook member on the support electrically connected to said contact faces and adapted for suspending a work rack, a contact member on said carrier means insulating said contact member from said hook member and contact faces, said contact member being arranged to engage a portion of a work rack engaged by said hook member, means forming a third contact face on the carrier and insulated from the carrier, said last mentioned means being arranged to engage an anode rail on the tank structure when the carrier is arranged with said pair of contact faces slidably engaging the cathode rails of the plating machine and means electrically connecting said conants as tact member with said meansforming said third. contact face. 7. A work carrier as.called for in claim dwherein said contact membercomprises ahook member disposed generally in alignment with the first mentioned hook member. 8. A work carrier as called for in claimlwherein said second mentioned hook member'is movably mounted on the carrier, and spring means biasing said secondhooked member in a direction to engage a .portion ofthe rack when the rack is suspended from the first mentioned hock member. p

9. A work carrier as called for in claim 8 wherein said means forming said third contact face comprises a contact shoe movably mounted on said carrier and means on said carrier biasing said contact shoe in a direction such that the contact shoe will slidably engage the auxiliary anode rail when the carrier is arranged on said cathode rails.

10. A work carrier on the type adapted to be moved along a pair of cathode rails of a plating machine comprising a support having a pair of spaced apart depending hook members thereon, a third hook member generally aligned with said pair of hook members and spaced intermediate thereof, said third hook member, means insulating said third hooked member from said other hook members, spring means on the carrier for biasing said third hook member in an upward direction, said carrier having a pair of spaced apart contact shoes thereon for slidably engaging the cathode rails of the plating machine, said carn'er having a third contact shoe thereon and insulated therefrom, said third contact shoe being movably mounted on said carrier, spring means on said carrier for biasing said third contact shoe in a downward direction, and means electrically connecting the third hook member and the third contact shoe.

11. A work carrier of the type adapted to be moved along a pair of cathode rails of .a plating machine comprising a support having a pair of spaced apart depending hook members thereon, one of which is electrically connected to the support and the other electricallyinsulated from the support, said hook members being generally aligned so that a transverse supporting bar of a work rack is adapted to be engaged therewith to support the rack, said support having a contact shoe thereon, means insulating said contact shoe from the support and means electrically connecting the insulated hook mem her and the contact shoe.

12. A work carrier as called for in claim 11 wherein said insulated hook member is movably mounted on the support, and spring means on said carrier for biasing said insulated hook member upwardly.

13. A work carrier as called for in claim 11 wherein said contact shoe has a downwardly facing contact face.

14. A work carrier as called for in claim 13 wherein said contact shoe is mounted for vertical movement on said support, and spring means on the carrier for biasing said contact shoe in a downward direction.

15. A work carrier of the type adapted to be moved along a pair of cathode rails of a plating machine comprising a support having a pair of spaced apart depending hook members thereon, each of said hook members having an upwardly facing support surface thereon, a third book member generally aligned with said pair of hook members and spaced intermediate thereof, said third hook member also having an upwardly facing support su'r face thereon and being disposed such that when a suppont member on a work rack is engaged with said upwardly facing support surfaces of said first two mentioned hook members, said support surface of said last ment-ioned hook member engages a portion of the support member on the rack, means insulating said third hook from said other hook members, means forming a contact face on the carrier, means insulating said last mentioned means from the carrier, said 'last mentioned means being arranged to engage an anode rail on the tank structure when the carrier is arranged on the cathode rails of the plating machine and means electrically connecting said third hook member with said means forming said contact face;

16. A work carrier as called for in'claim 15 wherein said third hook member is movably mounted on the carrier and said carrier having spring means engageable with said third hook member for biasing the same in an upward direction. i

17. The combination called for in claim 15 wherein said last mentioned contact member comprises a third hook member on the carrier." i

18. The combination as called for in claim 17 wherein said *last mentioned hook member is movably mounted on the carrier, and spring means on said carrier for biasing said last mentioned :hook member into engagement with said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hannon July 19, 1932 2,199,487 Etchison May 7, 1940 2,760,923 Boguski Aug. 28, 1956 2,760,929 Shepard Aug. 28, 1956 2,828,255 Gempe Mar. 25, 1958 

1. IN A PLATING MACHINE OF THE TYPE WHEREIN RACK SUPPORTED WORK PIECES ARE CONVEYED THROUGH A PLATING TANK, THE RACKS BEING SUSPENDED FROM CARRIERS WHICH ARE SLIDABLY SUPPORTED AND IN ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH CATHODE RAILS AND ANODES ARE SUPPORTED IN THE PLATING SOLUTION WITHIN THE TANK BY MEANS OF ANODE BARS EXTENDING ALONG THE TANKS WHEREBY ELECTRICAL CURRENT IS CAUSED TO FLOW FROM THE CATHODE RAILS THROUGH THE WORK CARRIER TO THE WORK PIECES AND THROUGH THE SOLUTION TO THE ANODES, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES AN AUXILIARY ANODE CARRIED BY THE WORK RACK, MEANS INSULATING THE AUXILIARY ANODE FROM SAID WORK RACK, A CONTACT MEMBER ON THE CARRIER, MEANS INSULATING THE CONTACT MEMBER FROM SAID CARRIER, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE SUSPENDING OF THE WORK RACK ON THE CARRIER TO ELECTRICALLY CONNECT THE AUXILIARY ANODE WITH THE CONTACT MEMBER, AN AUXILIARY ANODE RAIL WITHIN AND EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE TANK STRUCTURE OF THE PLATING MACHINE, A SECOND CONTACT MEMBER ON THE CARRIER AND ARRANGED TO SLIDABLY CONTACT THE AUXILIARY ANODE RAIL WHEN THE CARRIER IS ARRANGED ON THE CATHODE RAILS, MEANS INSULATING SAID SECOND CONTACT MEMBER FROM THE CARRIER AND MEANS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING SAID TWO CONTACT MEMBERS ON THE CARRIER. 